Radio system



Jan. 29, 1924.

' w. N. FANNING RADIOSYSTEM Filed March 20. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. WITNESS. maze M/AN/w/Yo.

Jan. 29, 1924. 7 1,482,122

W. N. FANNING RADIOSYSTEM v Filed March 20. 1922 2. Shuts-Sheet 2 F76. Z

9 A TTORNEYS.

- justmentof the receivin gaged in coastwise of dots and dashes, and

Patented Jan. 29, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.- j

WALTER N. EARNING, OI VALLEJO,- CALIIOBKIA- 4 mm srs'rmr.

Application filed March 20, 1922.- Serial Io. 545,040.,

receiving system controlled from\a distant source of radiations.

One of the important adaptations of my invention comprises a system adapted to be placed onboard Ship and arranged to operate a signal, an alarm, or any other device only upon the receipt of a certain definite call by radio. Thus the device may he arranged to'respond only to the distress call SOS, or several devices may be used, each arranged to respond to a difli'erent lighthouse or lightship call. The latter arrangement is particularly usefulwhen, for example, vessels entrade use substantially identical routes again and a an arrangement, itis possib e, by proper adapparatus, to pick a lighthouse or lig tship signal when the vessel is at a predetermined distance from the lighthouse or ,lightship. Ixrthis way it is easy to obtain a definite idea ships bearing. i

My invention may be used asa distress calling system either alone or in combination with other calling 0 the mentioned hereinbefore; Un er any circumstance, however, the automatic operation of the local alarm circuit obviatesthe necessity of having a radio operator on duty at all times. For this purpose the alarm hell or other signal would be placed near the opera tors bunk. 'The circuit, however, can be conveniently used to control any number of alarms, so thatthey may bedistributed on board ship at the places where the persons interested may of the si nal. I v

Itv is t us one of the objects of my invention tomake it ossible to call a station selectively by radlo; that is,

become aware of the receipt a definite order will operate a local signal circuit.

, Any number of selective circuits m Another possible application of my invention is to the control of distant objects, such as torpedoes or airplanes, by radio. Ely be to a system of radio ain. With such I ,the selector relay; and

systems such as the usual ships call, or the li hthouse calls only that order, I p

' by relay 11 hasits power ncre used, each for controlling the in a certain manner, and the control is e eeted only upon the receipt of a definite order of dots and dashes.

My invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which, with the foreoing, will be set forth atqlength in the folowing specification where I shall outlinein fullthatiorm of the invention which I have selected-for illustrationin the drawings' accompanying and forming art of the resent specification. In the rawin I ave shown but one embodiment of 1115 111- vention, but it is to be understood thatl do not limit myself to that form since theinvention aseiipressed in the claims may be embodied in other forms as well.

Referring to the drawings: Figure'l shows a wiring diagram of a receiving system utilizing a plurality of selector relays;

Figs. 2, 3, 4, struction of the selector relay used in my invention;, t

Fig. 5 is a side view, partly in section, of

Fig. 6 is a view from the other side of the selector relay.

It is essential, in order that a system ofthe sort mentioned heretofore operate, to provide a primary"'relay operating the selector, which primary relay will faithfully follow the telegraphic si 'alu Such a primary relay must not on y operateat telegraphic speed, but it must also have sufiicient mec tacts controlling t v 1, the electromagnetic relay 11 e'selector circuit. In 'Fi is especial y ments enumerated hereinbefore. The relay 11 and its associated receiving circuit is but.

one embodiment of several "forms of relaying devices, describedjndfl-claimed in' my copending application, Number 581,121, filed January 23, 1922,. and entitled Radio receiving system. I r

In the form illustrated in 1, the telegraphic relay 11 is operatedbo by the compensating wave sand the telegraphic wave. In'other worlds the signal ucpld t e compensating wave. The antenna eirenit12 which receives the radio signals is shown in this instancp as inductively coupled to two 7 and 8 showdetails of conanical-p ower to operate the conios systems labeled respectively T and C." These i the tubes 13 and .14. The filaments 21 and 'it will be suflicient to systems are substantially similar, the system T being adapted to receive the telegraphic signals, and the system t) being adapted to.

secondary coils 1'8 and 17 are joined together at the point 18 and their tree extremities are connected to the grid elements 19 and 29 of 22 are adapted to be heated in any well known manner, not shown, and are connected together at the point 23. A battery 24 is connected between the points ld and 23. lt 18 thus seen that the input circuit at each tube 13 or 14 comprises the battery 24, one;

of the coils 16 or 17, a filament, and a d. The plates 25 and 26 are likewise connected together, and between the points 27 and 23 is connected the output circuit of the system T. This output circuit includes the battery 28 andv the wires 29 and 30. It. isbelieve that the operation oil this system to rectify I the signal is apparent. By properly tuning the receiver circuit system, as by manipulation of an inductively coupled coil 31 and the variable condenser 32, this system may be made sensitive to the telegraphic signals. The system C has elements substantially similar to the s ysbem T, its receivin elements consisting of the coil 33and con enser 34 tuned to be sensitive to the compensating Wave between signals. The wires 35 and 36 leading from system 0 correspond with the wires 29 and 30 or the system T.

The relay 11 is so connected to both of the systems T and C that while no signal is rece1'ved,a pivoted armature 37 is held against the right hand pole piece 38 of the relay core. llpon the receipt ofan impulse, this armature 37 is not only repelled from the pole 38, but it is attracted to the left hand pole 39. When the impulse ceases, there is 39 and the armature 37,

a repulsion between the left hand pole piece former position against the pole piece 38. To obtain this result the armature 37 is polarized that is, it consistsof either a permanent magnet or an electromagnet having its free end either a north or south pole. In the present instance, it is shown asa south pole. The output circuit of the compensatmg waye system C is connected in series with two coils 40 and 41 which are conveniently disposed on the opposite legs of the-relay core, the direction ct magnetization produced by these coils being, for exam le, that shown by the arrows 42 and 43. T5 is and it returns to its condenser 48 in one of the gr1d circuits, and

a aaanaa result, of course, is that the south pole of the pivoted armature 37 is attracted to the north pole 38. As soon as a signaling impulse is received, however, the coils 40 and 41 become inactive and instead the coils 44 and 45 receive appreciable. energy from the s stem T. These coils are arranged to pro-.

uce a magnetization in a direction opposite to that produced by the coils 40 and 41. The result is that poles 38 and 39 change their polarity, and the armature 37 swings to the left while the impulse is being received and contact is made between wires 46 and 47. The systems T and C. are soproportioned that the magnetizing sheets of the coils 40 and 41 are substantially equal to the magnetizing e'fi'ects or the coils 44 and 45. e energy received from the compensatin waves in system C is useful in moving t e armature 37 back to its position when no signaling impulse is received. In this way a stron movement of armature 37 is obtained. ther advantages of this scheme are detailed at length in my rior application hereinbefore identified. t is of course evident also that it would be possible to, rectify only one-half of the wave in each case, instead of both halves, asodescribed' v The system inst described may be used equally as well when uni-wave signals are received; thatis; when there is no compensatin wave filling in the gaps between the sigma ing waves. Under such circumstances, the system C is tuned to be sensitive to a frequency just sufficiently different from the frequency of the signal waves so that it cannot receive any appreciable signaling energy. The amount of energy received by the system C would then 4 depend upon the interfering waves, and since these interfering waves. would have substantially the same eflect on the systems T and (3, they would be cancelled out by the difi'erential connections of coils 40, 41 and 44, 45. The armature 37 would not be affected in any way by these disturbances.

It may sometimes be advisible-to insert a a resistance 49 bridging it, of comparatively large ohmic value. a

o i he provision of apowerful and speedy relay 0 the kind just described is an essential to the'proper operation of a selector system, and in the past a successful selector system could not be developed partly on. this account. The selector relay 50 itself may mined number of dot and dash signalsoccur in a definite uence... I show two selectors '50 and 51, which are substantiall similar except for those elements which etermine the signals to which they are responsive.

The circuit formed by the wires 46 and 47 include the source 52 of electrical energy, and the coils 53 and 53' of the selectors. Since both" selectors operate on the same principle, but one of them will be described,

and that ation. The core 5.4 has only sufliciently tp eiipose its operan armature 55 which is held'in the open position, when'no signaling" impulses are received by fl bowed spring 56 fixed at one end and connected at the other to the free. end .of'the armature 55. Upon the energization of the coil 53 due to the closure of the contacts by armature 37 of relay 11, the spring 56 is pulled flat by the armature 55. This rotates a pivoted arm'57 by means of the connection 58 between it and the bowed spring. This arm carries a driving pawl 59 at its free end,

zs adapted to engage the teeth of a ratchet.

- wheel 60. A retaining pawl 61 is adapted, under certain conditions only as explained hereafter, to hold the wheel 60 in the position it "had been moved to by the driving pawl 59. A counterweight 65 may con veniently be used to urge thewheel 60 constantly in'a clockwise direction. The ratchet wheel 60 "has secured to it an arm 62 carry which is a view taken from the left of'Fig.

5; b t there extends from the pawl a 11p 66to ard the wheel, which, lip is arranged to cooperate with the wheel. A stop pin 67 is carried by the wheel and engages the 790 pawl as shown, which lifts the pawl into engagementwith the teeth -for the start of p the signal, when the wheel is in the starting position. A retaining hook 68 engages a lip 69. on pawl 61 and holds this pawl in such a no position that it is in position to engage the top half of the ratchet teeth, as shown. If

' the teeth of ratchet-wheel 60 were of the usual kind, i t is evident that every impulse.

of the driving awl 59 would serve to ad- (im Vance the wheel y a tooth, and after a number of impulses, the contacts 63 and64 would be made. However, an arrangement is provided .to .cause disengagement of the hook 1 68' from the pawl 61 if the impulse received is 65 long enough to be'a dash. Under such circdmstances, the lip 66 drops to the bottom half of the tooth.

Now by properly shaping the teeth, it is possible to arran e matters so that the pawl 61 holds the \v eel only when it is at the top ofcertain teeth, and at certain others. The manner of shaping the 9 the bottomqgi teeth is clearly. disclosed in Figs. 2, 3, and

'4. Thus the bottom half of tooth 70 is cut v away at an angle, as shown by the dotted line 71,. and if the pawl 61 happens to be at the bottom of the tooth after the driving pawl 59 is pulled away from the teeth, this inclined surface of the tooth would permit the lip 66 toride over it, and the pawl 61 would be pressed laterally away from the wheel 60. When this occurs, the pawl 61 rotates downward and away from the wheel 60, due to the fact that its supporting shaft 89 is inclined in the manner shown in thefrontview, Fig. 8. The pawl moves far enough away to free the lip 66 entirelyfrom the teeth, but itis limited by appropriately formed stops, such as 88, shown 1n the plan view ofFig. 7. As soonas the lip 66 leaves the teeth, the ounterweight 65 is free to act. The wheel returns to its starting position, and the lip is automatically returned to the proper starting tooth by aid of the inclined pm 67 carried by the wheel .60. This pin cooperates with the under surface of the pawl to lift it up and toward the wheel 60- If however the pawl is at the to of tooth 70,.it can hold the wheel. Toot 72 is on the, contrary cut away at an angle at the top, so that when this-tooth passes .under the pa'w1'61, the pawl must beat the bottom otthe tooth to hold the wheel.

.The teeth of the wheel 60 may be arranged at will in such a way that a-definite sequence of dots (corresponding to teeth cut away at the bottom) and dashes (corresponding to teeth cut away at, the top) serve to .ad'vahce the wheel properly. If the sequence is incorrect, the 0 unterweight 65 returns the wheel 6 to its starting position immediately the driv ing pawl 59 is disengaged from the teeth of wheel, after the first wrong sequence.

The mechanism. for releasing the hook 68 uponthe receipt of a long impulse corresponding to a dash is most clearly illustrated in Fig.- 6. -A pivoted lever 73 is pivotallyconnected at its free end, with a link 74 made up of a pair of separatedv strips. At the endof link 74= there is pivoted a time wheel 75 arranged to .roll on a slightly inclined track 76. When the wheel 75 is permitted to roll down the track, the centra jection 7 .on a lever 78, and rotates it. This lever is rigidly connected to a piv oted rod 79, to which is also rigidlyeonnected the hook. 68, and when the time wheel rolls down the track 76 far enough,

ortiom of link' 74 engages apro-- a is evident that as hoolr as permits the a stationary part of the mechani to engage the link it upon the return or" the time wheel on the track. The time wheel 75 is held up the track and is permitted to roll down only when an impulse is re ceived. Wheel in .position at all other times. This lever, as shown in Fig. 5, is connected to the pivoted lever 57, and when the armature 55 is attracted, it frees the time wheel and allows it to perform its timing function. 'lUpon release ot the armature the lever 81 moves back to the position shown in the figures, and returns the time wheel to the upperpart ot trachfifi. At the same time, the. movement or the wheel up the traclr moves the heels 68 so that it may move by gravity into-engagement with the lip '86 in case the next impulse is a dot.

The series of teeth on the ratchet wheel 60 may be arranged so/that the selector will.

operate to close a local dircuit only when an SQS call is received, or when the ships call is received. In order to insure proper operation oil the timing function in case the device is used on ship hoard, it is a visable to support the'selector in gimbals,

.so that it may remain truly horizontal.

1 The local circuit completed by the selector may include one or more alarm bells 82 or other signaling devices, and a. source of electrical energy 83. The arrangement may be such that the contacts 63 and t ll need engage for but a short time, and still permit the alarms to sound until manually, disconnected. In this way, the receipt of subsequent signals cannot stop the alarm, For this purpose an electromagnet 84: maybe connected in parallel with the signaling devices 8%, having a pair of front. contacts 85 and 86. These contacts are arranged to bridge the selector contacts. Thus when the selector contacts opcrate, they are immediately bridged by contacts 85 and-86, and the devices 82 are active until the electromagnet 84: is .de-energized manually, as by a switch 87.

C There may be any number of selectors such as 50 and '51 operated from the same receiver circuit. One of them may be arranged to the distress call, another to the ships callQ and others to the signals radiated from fixed pointssuch as lighthouses.

The success of such a system is partly due to provision of a reliable relay such as 11 whichcan be operated by received energy at telegraphic speed. The complete system lend-s itselt to many uses. A. great saving The lever 81 is used to hold the naearaa in expense may he had by dis ensing, by this means, with the services 0" more. than one radio operator on ship hoard. A single radio operator can he easily-reached upon receipt ot a signal requiring his attention.

The local circuit may of course he uti lized for a controlling function in place The system is oil a signaling function. especially applicable to the distant control of airplanes 'ortorpedoes equipped )with such a receivingsystem. Une seleclior ay control tor example the operation of the vertical rudders, another the operation of the horizontal rudders, still another the source or motion, and still another the ignition of a charge or the release of a bomb. ll claim: Y 1; ln a radio receiving system, an absorbing circuit, a thermionic device responsive to telegraphic signals received in the absorbing circuit, a thermionic device responsive to energy received betweensignals, an electromagnetic relay having a polarized armature, said relay being arranged to move the armature in onedirectionhn recei t ota si "nal by aid or the first mentioned thermionic device, and, in another direction on cessation of the signal, by aid oi? the second mentionedthermionic/device, and a selector controlled by sald armature, said selector comprising a pair of relatively movable contacts that areoperated only upon thereceipt of a predetermined, treelyselected order of telegraphic dot and dash signals.

2. ln a radio receiving system, an'absorbing circuit, an eletromagnetic telegraphic re ay having a polarized armature, means for moving the armature in one direction in response to received telegraphic signals,

means for moving the armature between signahng 1mpulses 1n the opposlte d1rect1on,

and a selector controlled by. said armature,-

said selector havin a pair of relatively movable contacts t at are operated only upon movement or the armature in a predetermined sequence corresponding to a'definite telegraphic dot and dash signal.

8. In a radio receiving system, an absorbing circuit, an electromagnetic telegraphic relay having an armature, a selector controlled by said armature, said selector havthat are operated only upon movement of the armature in a predetermined sequence corresponding to a definite telegraphic dot and dash signal, and meansfor causing the electromagnet to respond, to telegraphic signals received in the absorbing circuit, comprising a thermionic device responsive tothe received energy, said device having a heated filament, a control electrode, and a plate electrode, a source of electrical energy connected to the electromagnet and in circuit with the plate electrode, nd means for producing a substantial flofiaot electrilld mg a pair of relatively movable contacts cal energy in this plate circuit only upon receipt of a signaling impulse.

4:. In .a radio receiving system, an absorbing circuit, an electromagnetic telegraphic relay having an armature, means responsive to energy received in the absorbing circuit for operating the armature substantially in step with the receipt of telegraphic dot and dash signals, and a selector controlled by the armature, said selector coi'nprising an electromagnet, a pawl actuated by the electromagnet, a wheel having teeth adapted to be engaged by the pawl to advance it, a contact moved by the wheel, a holding pawl,

and means for controlling the position of 1' the holding pawl whereby on receipt of a long impulse, it may cooperate only with certain of thev teeth to hold the wheel, and upon receipt of a short impulse, it may cooperate only with certain other teeth to hold the wheel.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. v WALTILR N. FANNING. 

